"The international community must give strong and ongoing support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and its Euro-Atlantic integration. We are deeply concerned about the fate of the Crimean Tatars," said Ināra Mūrniece on Wednesday, 24 April, during a meeting with Refat Chubarov, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament and Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, and Olexandr Mischenko, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Republic of Latvia.
Latvia is closely monitoring developments in illegally annexed Crimea, added the Speaker, emphasising that Ukraine can always count on Latvia's friendship and support. A group has been set up in the Saeima for cooperation with the Verhovna Rada, and the committees of the Saeima strongly support Ukraine and its democratic reforms.
"We are greatly concerned about the violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in illegally annexed Crimea and the deterioration of the situation of the Crimean Tatars. The international community must state clearly that the repression imposed by Russia against the Crimean Tatars is unacceptable," stressed Speaker Mūrniece.
R.Chubarov thanked Latvia for its consistent support to Ukraine and expressed his gratitude for the rehabilitation programmes offered by Latvia to Ukrainian soldiers and child victims of war. R.Chubarov reiterated the importance of the support provided by Latvia and added that helping children in need irrespective of their ethnicity is also a practice of the Crimean Tatars.
The Speaker of the Saeima signed on the #LiberateCrimea flag. Since 2018, the flag has travelled from country to country under the international campaign "United by the flag - #LIBERATECRIMEA" to draw the attention of the international community to the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014.
Today, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima adopted a statement on the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the deportation of Crimean Tatars and supporting the policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea.
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Saeima Press Service